Power of Three and a Half
by malicent
Summary: Warning, slightly spoofy ! A prophecy was filled, and a new one appeared ... But when a message from Starclan is misunderstood, the costs are high, and the consequences, extreme. Jayfeather and Lionblaze go through life, but preparing for all the wrong things. *Similar humour to Lionblaze has a Shadow.
1. Conference

Power of Three and a Half

Chapter 1: Conference

"Hey Lionblaze."

Lionblaze grunted and didn't reply.

"LIONBLAZE WAKE UP!"

Lionblaze woke up with a jolt, only to find his brother Jayfeather staring down at him. His blind eyes stared blankly at him.

"You're creepy when you do that," Lionblaze sighed. "What's going on?"

"I need help getting to the dirt place," Jayfeather grumbled. "I tried to find it myself but I accidently stumbled into the elders den."

"Ha!" Lionblaze snorted. "I bet they weren't very impressed."

"They didn't have to be so rude," Jayfeather snapped. "It's not my fault I tripped over Longtail and woke the whole lousy den up."

"Hey, shut up!" Hollyleaf hissed from where she was lying down. "Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"SORRY HOLLYLEAF," Lionblaze bellowed, succeeding in waking up everyone.

"Let's go," Lionblaze said quickly, making his way out the den. Jayfeather followed him, crashing through the den entrance, making way more noise then necessary.

"CAREFUL," Lionblaze yelled as a cat nearly walked into them. "DISABLED CAT ON THE PREMISES."

"Jeez," Jayfeather grumbled. "You make me sound retarded."

"WATCH YOURSELF," Lionblaze howled as another cat walked by.

"For crying out loud," Jayfeather snapped. "You're absolutely no help at all."

They finally got to the dirt place tunnel, but to Jayfeathers dismay, there was already a party of cats crowding in it.

"BREAK IT UP, BREAK IT UP," Lionblaze pushed through the group. "JAYFEATHER NEEDS TO GO."

"Oh my god," Jayfeather was so embarrassed he could barely even speak. Blossomfall and Briarlight were giggling, and Jayfeather could feel their gaze burn his pelt.

"What's going on in here anyway?" Lionblaze asked. "Are you guys having a party, or is it just the cool thing now to hang around the place where everyone does their business?"

"We were just having a conference," Bumblestripe explained. "We were discussing the lousy new system Firestars got going on."

"Yeah, it doesn't make any sense," Briarlight blurted out. "These double patrols are _exhausting, _and when we're done them everyone's too tired to do any training."

"Or hunting," Blossomfall put it.

"It is pretty dumb," Lionblaze agreed. "It also doesn't make any sense, I mean, does anyone actually know the purpose of the patrols?"

"No," Bumblestripe growled. "He wouldn't tell us, remember."

"He's been acting really weird lately," Jayfeather noted. "I remember I went out a few days ago to search for herbs. Firestar literally, and I'm not kidding, sent a full patrol of four warriors and two apprentices to follow me and _make sure I was safe."_

Blossomfall, Bumblestripe and Briarlight stared at him disbelievingly.

"He's not making it up, I know that for a fact," Lionblaze giggled. "I was one of the cats on the patrol."

"I'm aware," Jayfeather hissed. "You kept throwing berries and sticks at me."

"Heehee," Lionblaze giggled.

"It was absolutely not funny!" Jayfeather cried. "I couldn't even collect any herbs because every time I leaned down to pick one up, you made some sort of stupid noise, and then the whole patrol would fall over laughing."

"Oh, I heard about that," Bumblestripe snorted. "I wish I was there."

"That's just great, you losers," Jayfeather rolled his eyes. "Laughing at me, jeez."

Lionblaze opened his mouth to say something else but stopped when he heard another cat push its way into the dirt place.

"Holy it's crammed in here," Cloudtail mumbled. "What's the deal, guys. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"We were having a conference," Lionblaze launched into the story about how Firestar was ordering double patrols.

"I think he's worried about Shadowclan," Cloudtail said after he'd heard the whole story. "They were acting very odd at the last gathering, and I think Firestar just wants to take extra precautions to make sure we're ready if they decide to make a move."

"Well it's tiring," Blossomfall complained.

"Then maybe you should go to sleep instead of stuffing yourselves into the dirt place."

"I guess," Lionblaze muttered. "Come on Jayfeather, let's go."

"I never got to go," Jayfeather mumbled as they walked out.

"Well I guess you're gonna have to hold it until the morning," Lionblaze replied.

"I guess so," Jayfeather snapped.

Lionblaze walked Jayfeather back to the medicines cat den in silence, enjoying the quiet whisper of the trees rustling in the breeze.

"See you in the morning," Lionblaze said, then turned around to walk back to the warriors den. Jayfeather pushed his way into the empty den, and curled up in the corner. It took him a while to fall asleep, mainly because he wasn't tired. Unfortunately, just as soon as he was about to drift off, Hollyleaf burst into his den.

"JAYFEATHER!" she screamed.

"Oh my god, what," Jayfeather hissed.

"I saw it," she whispered. "With my own eyes!"

"What did you see?" Jayfeather mumbled, still half asleep. "And why did you not just wait until morning to tell me?"

"I saw Starclan," Hollyleaf said excitedly. "They told me something!"

"You don't say," Jayfeather mumbled. "And why did they tell you, and not me? I'm the medicine cat."

"I know, that's the weird part," Hollyleaf said confused.

"What did they say?"

"Um, it was kind of odd ..."

"Just spit it out," Jayfeather snapped, wanting to go back to sleep.

"Three became four, but only two knew, four became three and they lost what to do. Two thought the third was the only one left, but the one always knew there was little time left. They two had a feeling that they would be wrong, the third was the one who was there all along."

"Is this some kind of joke?" Jayfeather asked, getting annoyed. _That's just fantastic, _he thought. _We finally figure out who the third cat in the prophecy is, and now this happens. _It had taken moons and moons to figure out that the cat in the prophecy, There will be three, kin of your kin who hold the power of the stars in their paws, was Dovewing.

"Just think about it," Hollyleaf said mystically, then pranced out of the den with such excitement it made Jayfeather want to throw up.

_Well it's obvious what she's thinking, _Jayfeather thought to himself.

_The third was the one that was there all along. _

Hollyleaf was the third.

But why?


	2. Pinecone

Power of Three and a Half

Chapter 2: Pinecone

"Hey Lionblaze, wake up."

Lionblaze snored loudly and didn't respond. Hollyleaf proceeded to prod her brother with a paw until he woke up, alarmed.

"Wha'?" Lionblaze said, mouth hanging open and eyes closed. Hollyleaf thought he looked like an idiot.

"Come on, we both slept in!" she hissed. "We were supposed to be on patrol moons ago!"

"I'm too sleepy," Lionblaze said happily, falling back asleep. Hollyleaf sighed and butted him in the side with her head.

"Oof!" Lionblaze grunted. "Fine, let's go."

Hollyleaf led the way out of the den, and past the gorse entrance and into the forest. Lionblaze plowed through the trees like a badger, and by the look on his face Hollyleaf guessed he really didn't give a flying mouse tail about it.

"Who's patrol are we on?" Lionblaze asked, waking up slightly as he realized he was actually expected to be productive.

"Jayfeathers," Hollyleaf replied. Lionblaze snorted. "What the heck is Jayfeather doing running a patrol?" he laughed.

"He's taking turns showing different patrols the best spot to find healing herbs," Hollyleaf explained. Lionblaze continued to giggle.

"Shut up," Hollyleaf snapped.

"Oh I see him!" Lionblaze cried, then he bolted forward. Hollyleaf groaned and charged after him.

**Meanwhile**

"And if you look under the leaves," Jayfeather demonstrated how to fold the leaf back with a claw to reveal a cluster of dark blue berries. "You'll see that they are ready to be picked and brought back to the camp."

"I HAVE A QUESTION," Berrynose bellowed at the top of his lungs. Jayfeather closed his eyes in annoyance, when he opened them again, they were narrowed into slits. "Yes, Berrynose?" Jayfeather said, trying not to let his irritation show in his voice.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE BERRIES ARE READY TO BE PICKED?"

"I just explained that," Jayfeather snapped.

"BUT WHAT IF THEY JUST LOOK READY AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT? WHAT HAPPENS THEN? CAUSE I DON'T WANNA PICK A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM JUST SO YOU CAN SNIFF THEM AND BE ALL LIKE HEY BERRYNOSE THESE SUCK THEY AIN'T RIPE YET! THEN I'LL BE ALL LIKE, WELL JAYFEATHER, YA TOLD US THEY WERE RIPE SO-"

Berrynose stopped screaming mid word when Poppyfrost gently nudged his side and proceeded to inform him that Jayfeather was blind, not deaf.

"Oops," Berrynose said, completely embarrassed. "Sorry, Jayfeather. I always forget."

"It's okay," Jayfeather growled, ears flattening in annoyance as other cats among the patrol started to snicker. "Now, as I was saying. You have to be careful picking the berries off the tree, because they're delicate and squish easily," Jayfeather bent down and gently picked off a small branch with the berries on it. The second before he was about to rise back up, he jumped in alarm as a pinecone hit him right on the back. Jayfeather figured it must have been a squirrel knocking it out of a tree, so he said nothing.

"So the best way to carry the branch is in your teeth like this," Jayfeather said, not understanding why the entire patrol was staring at him with strained faces, as if they were trying not to laugh. Berrynose accidently let out a squeak, which he quickly explained was gas, not laughter.

"Um, okay," Jayfeather said, not understanding why he deserved that explanation. "Anyways, its important to remember not to accidently chew the berries, because the juices can go down your throat and make you ill if you're not in need of them. So the best way to carry it is with the branch in your mouth only, keeping yourself as far away from the berries as possible," Jayfeather leaned down and picked up the branch again.

Another pinecone flew through the air and bounced off his shoulder.

Jayfeather whipped around and glared at the patrol. They stared back innocently, except for Berrynose, who was making various snorting and squealing noises. Jayfeather gave them one last glare before continuing. "Another reason not to waste the berries juices is simply the fact that they are rare," he explained, at the same time keeping track of who may being throwing the pine cones. "They only grow in new leaf, so we need to stock up as much as we can, but without taking so much that they don't grow anymore," Jayfeather explained, breathing a sigh of relief that he managed to get through his entire explanation without another pinecone hitting him. Then he heard a crow screech in the distance, and his head whipped around in alarm.

A cluster of six or seven pine cones flew through the air and pelted Jayfeather on the back of the head.

The patrol burst into hysterics.

"FOR GODS SAKE," Jayfeather turned back to face the patrol and glared though his sightless eyes at them. "LIONBLAZE GET OUT OF THE FREAKING BUSH."

Lionblaze guiltily padded out of the bush he was residing in.

"Hollyleaf, you too," Jayfeather snapped.

Hollyleaf slowly walked out of the bush and sat with the group. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"I'm sure you didn't do anything," Jayfeather hissed, then he turned to face his brother. "Why do you always have to be so annoying?" he growled.

"Come on, Jayfeather, you were putting them to sleep with all that talk about your boring ol' berries."

"_Boring old berries?" _Jayfeather shrieked. "These _boring old berries _save lives you know!"

One of the cats in the patrol let out a loud snore.

"Berrynose, if that's you I'm going to tell Firestar what a disturbance you've been," Jayfeather snapped.

"Ooooh, Firestar!" Berrynose muttered under his breath. "I'm so scared!"

"You should be," a new voice growled. Berrynose whipped his head around to see none other then Firestar himself standing there, not looking at all impressed.

"Oh, Firestar," Berrynose said nervously. "I wasn't aware you were standing there."

"Clearly," Firestar murmured.

Berrynose gulped, not sure what else to say. Jayfeather looked upon them happily, glad they finally got what they deserved for picking on him.

"Jayfeather, I need to talk to you," Firestar said, then turned tail and stalked away. Jayfeather followed, confused. He rolled his eyes in annoyance as the patrol burst into giggles again as soon as they thought he was out of earshot.


	3. Alarm Call

Power of Three and a Half

Chapter 3: Alarm Call

"What did you need to talk to me about?" Jayfeather asked as he followed Firestar through the forest.

"I um, was taking a walk last night, because uh, I wanted to stretch my legs."

"Okay," Jayfeather said, waiting for Firestar to continue. He didn't.

"Um, was that it?"

"No," Firestar sighed. "When I was walking, I realized the pain in my leg was getting worse."

"You're walking fine now," Jayfeather pointed out.

"So I decided to go to your den to see if you had some herbs to make me feel better," Firestar continued talking as if Jayfeather hadn't spoken. "And I overheard you talking to Hollyleaf about her dream."

"Oh," Jayfeather realized what he was talking about at once.

"What do you think of it?" Firestar fixed Jayfeather with his even green gaze.

"I'm not really sure," Jayfeather stammered. "I can't help but wonder if it was just a dream. It seems unlikely that there would be another cat in the prophecy."

"Three became four but only two knew," Firestar quietly repeated part of the prophecy. "I presume you and Lionblaze are the _two. _And Dovewing is the third... wait, does Dovewing know about Hollyleafs dream?"

"No," Jayfeather said awkwardly. "I was kind of hoping we wouldn't have to come to that."

"This is confusing," Firestar said, frustrated. "Let's think for a minute - the prophecy said that only _two _cats knew about the fourth. And since it isn't Dovewing, who is the fourth?"

"I dunno," Jayfeather snapped, getting tired of this conversation. "And who cares? The second part of the prophecy claims the four became two again, so it doesn't really matter who the fourth was."

"True," Firestar agreed. "Now for the next part-"

Jayfeather sighed loudly.

"Look, the faster we get through this, the faster we can just forget about it," Firestar snapped. "Okay, so the next part was _two thought the third was the only one left, but the one always knew there was little time left. _That must mean that you and Lionblaze thought the third, which is Dovewing, was the only one left in the prophecy."

"That makes sense," Jayfeather nodded. "But what about the part about the 'one always knew there was little time left.' Dovewing never mentioned a thing about that."

"I know," Firestar murmured. "That's because Dovewing isn't the third."

"What?"

Firestar stared at Jayfeather with wide, scared eyes. "We were wrong. Hollyleafs dream wasn't a prophecy," Firestar said quietly. "It was a warning."

**(Page Break)**

Lionblaze snuck guiltily out of the warriors den, praying no one on the evenings hunting patrol would see him. He had feigned being sick, so he could have a nap in the middle of the day.

_I don't know why I've been so tired, _Lionblaze thought to himself. _Maybe I've been eating too much lately or something. _Lionblaze dismissed the thought nearly at once. He could see Jayfeather walking slowly to the gorse tunnel.

_What the heck is he doing leaving the camp unattended? _Lionblaze sighed and followed him, deciding to hunt a little to make up for ditching the evening patrol. _I'll just keep an eye out for him while I'm hunting, _Lionblaze decided. _That way if he catches me I'll be able to prove I didn't just leave the camp to spy on him. _Lionblaze dropped into the hunters crouch as a mouse darted across his vision. He waggled his haunches, preparing to spring. At the last second Jayfeather crashed through the clearing and scared the mouse under a bush and out of sight.

"What the heck!" Lionblaze screeched. "I was going to catch that!"

"Great Starclan!" Jayfeather screamed, jumping at least a fox length into the air. He turned around to face his brother. "I didn't know you were standing there!"

"I didn't know you made more noise then a wounded badger," Lionblaze shot back. He regretted it at once. "Look, I'm sorry," he started to apologize but Jayfeather cut him off. "Yeah, I'm real sorry I can't walk around normally like you," he choked. Lionblaze flinched at how hurt he sounded. "Well here's a news flash for you! I'M BLIND!" and then he turned tail and ran back in the direction of the camp. Lionblaze felt horrible. _I'll apologize to him later, _he decided. _For now I need to concentrate on hunting. _He looked around again, and as luck would have it, he spotted a thrush almost instantly, camouflaged from the undergrowth. Lionblaze sank low to the ground, and just as he was about to spring -

Jayfeather smashed his way out of a bush, and the thrush flew away, letting out an alarm call to every bird in a hundred foot radius. Lionblaze exploded into a yelling fit, not actually screaming any words, but a bunch of inaudible sounds. He stopped to take a breath, and Jayfeather leapt at the chance. Lionblaze inhaled a bunch of air, prepared to start howling again.

"Will you _be quiet!" _Jayfeather hissed.

"THRUSH... YOU... NOISE... THRUSH!" Lionblaze burst out.

"LIONBLAZE!" Jayfeather snapped. "For gods sake let it go."

"Why did you do that?" Lionblaze sputtered.

"I feel so useless!" Jayfeather wailed. Lionblaze was taken aback. "What? Why?"

"Everyone's always hunting for the clan, and all I do is sit around picking berries. A _kit _could do that! And while you guys are all out fighting," Jayfeather looked at the ground. "I'm sitting there, mixing herbs together."

"What brought all this on?" Lionblaze asked, the thrush already lost from his mind.

"I'm useless," Jayfeather snapped. "Completely, useless. I scare away the prey because I can't see where I'm going, I can't hunt to save my life, and when it comes to fighting I bet Longtail could do better!"

"Longtail can't fight," Lionblaze scoffed. Jayfeather glared at him. "Exactly!"

"Jayfeather, you can't control being blind."

"I hate it," Jayfeather said mutinously. "I should just die!"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Lionblaze all but screamed into Jayfeathers ear. "Don't even THINK about that!"

"Why not," Jayfeather mumbled. "It's not like any skills would be lost."

"You're being absolutely ridiculous," Lionblaze snapped. "You're one of the most useful cats in the clan."

"Yeah right," Jayfeather rolled his eyes.

"You are," Lionblaze glared at him, then stopped when he remembered Jayfeather couldn't see his expression. "Stop acting stupid," he said. "Want to go find something fun to do? We can steal Firestars nest and soak it in the creek."

Jayfeather stopped looking sad for a brief moment to look up at Lionblaze, annoyed. "Did you not learn your lesson from last time?" he snapped. About four moons ago, Lionblaze, Berrynose and Spiderleg stole Firestars nest from his den, dragged it down to the creek on the Windclan border, and soaked it. They were down there for a while, howling with laughter at it. Back at camp, Firestar had called a Clan meeting, announcing his nest had been stolen. Apparently Firestar had some sort of precious rock stuffed in his nest to keep it safe, and he wanted it back.

Four search parties had been set out, and as luck would go, Firestar was leading the one that patrolled the Windclan border. Lionblaze and his party had faced an entire moon confined to the camp. When the moon was up, Firestar found the rock hidden under some leaves in the corner of his den. Go figure.

"Firestar lost that stupid rock anyway," Lionblaze scoffed. "I'll bet he didn't care about it at all, he just wanted his stupid nest back."

"Probably," Jayfeather grinned. "Where did he lose it?"

"He dropped it down a rabbit hole."

Jayfeather decided he didn't even want to know how that happened. "How about we just go for a walk?" he suggested. "I can pick herbs and you can hunt."

"GREAT IDEA!" Lionblaze howled, happy that Jayfeather didn't sound sad anymore. Jayfeather suppressed a sigh as he heard a bird fly up and screech yet another alarm call.


End file.
